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Best ski resorts in Colorado (2026-27)

The best ski resorts in Colorado, ranked by how often it snows, how much snow falls and how much vertical there is: Steamboat, Beaver Creek, and Telluride.

How we rank: snow days (40%, 10 seasons of daily weather), resort-reported average snowfall (30%) and vertical drop (30%), each scaled within this list. It doesn't weigh price, crowds or lodging; see the picks below for those angles. Details

Best for…

The top 15

  1. 1. Steamboat Colorado

    Score 89
    Snow days
    48
    Avg snowfall
    400"
    Vertical
    3,668 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Ikon Pass · 3 hr from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay · things to do

  2. 2. Beaver Creek Colorado

    Score 63
    Snow days
    43
    Avg snowfall
    323"
    Vertical
    3,340 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · 2 hr 15 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay

  3. 3. Telluride Colorado

    Score 63
    Snow days
    38
    Avg snowfall
    330"
    Vertical
    4,425 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · best time to ski · where to stay

  4. 4. Vail Colorado

    Score 60
    Snow days
    39
    Avg snowfall
    354"
    Vertical
    3,450 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · 2 hr from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay · things to do

  5. 5. Winter Park Colorado

    Score 54
    Snow days
    37
    Avg snowfall
    370"
    Vertical
    3,060 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Ikon Pass · 1 hr 45 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay

  6. 6. Crested Butte Colorado

    Score 52
    Snow days
    42
    Avg snowfall
    300"
    Vertical
    2,787 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · 4 hr 30 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay

  7. 7. Loveland Colorado

    Score 52
    Snow days
    36
    Avg snowfall
    422"
    Vertical
    2,210 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Independent · 1 hr 30 min from DEN · best time to ski

  8. 8. Aspen Snowmass Colorado

    Score 51
    Snow days
    35
    Avg snowfall
    300"
    Vertical
    4,406 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Ikon Pass · 3 hr 45 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay · things to do

  9. 9. Wolf Creek Colorado

    Score 43
    Snow days
    34
    Avg snowfall
    430"
    Vertical
    1,604 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Independent · best time to ski

  10. 10. Breckenridge Colorado

    Score 42
    Snow days
    31
    Avg snowfall
    355"
    Vertical
    3,398 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · 1 hr 45 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay · things to do

  11. 11. Arapahoe Basin Colorado

    Score 35
    Snow days
    33
    Avg snowfall
    350"
    Vertical
    2,270 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Ikon Pass · 1 hr 30 min from DEN · best time to ski

  12. 12. Copper Mountain Colorado

    Score 32
    Snow days
    33
    Avg snowfall
    310"
    Vertical
    2,601 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Ikon Pass · 1 hr 45 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay

  13. 13. Monarch Mountain Colorado

    Score 26
    Snow days
    30
    Avg snowfall
    400"
    Vertical
    1,162 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Independent · 3 hr 15 min from DEN · best time to ski

  14. 14. Keystone Colorado

    Score 25
    Snow days
    33
    Avg snowfall
    230"
    Vertical
    3,128 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Epic Pass · 1 hr 45 min from DEN · best time to ski · where to stay

  15. 15. Sunlight Mountain Colorado

    Score 20
    Snow days
    34
    Avg snowfall
    250"
    Vertical
    2,010 ft
    Snow next 7 days
    0.0"

    Independent · 3 hr 15 min from DEN · best time to ski

The other 4 resorts we rank
  1. Purgatory (17)
  2. Eldora (13)
  3. Powderhorn (7)
  4. Ski Cooper (3)

Plan a trip to Steamboat

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Prices for Nov 10 to Nov 13; change dates on the next page. Bookings may earn Snow Way a commission. Affiliate disclosure

How we rank

  • Snow days (40%): days with 1"+ of new snow, November to April, from our powder day odds study.
  • Average snowfall (30%): resort-reported annual totals with sources, from our snowiest ski resorts list.
  • Vertical drop (30%): summit minus base elevation.
  • Each measure is scaled from the lowest to the highest resort in this list, then weighted. Resorts missing too much data aren't ranked. Price, crowds, terrain mix and lodging aren't scored, so use the picks above and each resort's page for those.

Questions

What is the best ski resort in Colorado?

Steamboat ranks first on Snow Way's score, which combines snow days (10 seasons of weather data), resort-reported annual snowfall and vertical drop. Beaver Creek and Telluride are next.

Which Colorado ski resort gets the most snow days?

Steamboat: about 48 days of new snow a season.

Which Colorado ski resort gets the most snow?

Wolf Creek: about 430 inches a year (resort-reported).

Which Colorado ski resort has the most vertical?

Telluride: 4,425 ft from base to summit.

What is the best Colorado ski resort for beginners?

Aspen Snowmass: Buttermilk (Aspen Snowmass), 35% beginner terrain.

What is the closest ski resort to Denver?

Eldora: about 1 hr 15 min by car.

What is the best Colorado ski resort on the Epic Pass?

Beaver Creek: #2 overall.

What is the best Colorado ski resort on the Ikon Pass?

Steamboat: #1 overall.

More lists: Best ski resorts in the US · Best ski resorts in North America · Best ski resorts in Utah · Best ski resorts in California · Best ski resorts in Vermont · Best ski resorts on the East Coast

Cite this data

Free to use with a link back. Suggested citation:

Snow Way, "Best ski resorts in Colorado (2026-27)," November 8, 2026, https://snowway.app/best-ski-resorts-in-colorado

Licensed CC BY 4.0. Journalists: reach Justin through the about page.